Sharing Event
Information: Obligation as Opportunity
You’ve expended a great
deal of time and effort in getting all of the details for a meeting or
event recorded, so it’s understandable that sometimes it feels like
displaying that information on your digital signage system is just a
footnote at the tail end of the process. However, that final
obligation should really be viewed as an opportunity…a chance to:
raise awareness of –
and involvement in – your programs and events
create a positive
experience for visitors, especially those new to your facility
promote the image of
your organization as one that cares about keeping people
well-informed
No matter how
extensively you’ve advertised a specific event (a training session or
lecture, for example) or an ongoing initiative (such as a quarterly
blood drive), there’s no call to action quite as powerful as an
eye-catching entry on a plasma screen in a lobby or hallway announcing
that the session will be taking place soon. People on the move have
already overcome one of the primary factors in low event attendance:
inertia. Potential attendees “at rest” tend to remain at rest, but get
their attention while they are in motion and they are much more likely
to keep moving and ultimately attend the event.
The display of event
information is also an opportunity to ensure that first-time visitors to
your facility have a positive experience. Nothing is more frustrating
than arriving just prior to a function and being unable to find it due
to the lack of adequate direction. Much more satisfying is a situation
where a new visitor walks into the building, sees the location and start
time for their event prominently displayed and makes it to the room in
plenty of time to settle in for the session.
The way in which event
information is recorded in a reservation system (such as one of the
“EMS” room and resource scheduling applications from Dean Evans &
Associates, Inc.), and then transmitted to a monitor or plasma screen
via AxisTV, can greatly impact how easily it is read and digested.
Consider this when booking space for an event:
Use event names that
are descriptive but concise. “Staff meeting” leaves the reader
asking the question, “For whom?” while, “Visix bi-weekly marketing
staff meeting” is too long. “Visix marketing meeting” gives
attendees all the information they need in at-a-glance length.
For private events,
use discretion in choosing how to describe the gathering. In some
cases, you may want to create a somewhat cryptic title that is
shared with attendees in advance so they know what to look for. Or,
you may choose to suppress information on the event entirely.
Modifying an event
name to indicate a last-minute change in status (e.g., “CPR Training
- CANCELLED”) can be a good way to get the attention of attendees
who have not yet received the news.
In general, providing
people with accurate and timely event information tells them that your
organization has a vested interest in the success of their gathering and
is eager to make it a positive experience. These are impressions you
want to foster at every opportunity.
Article courtesy of Dean Evans & Associates: DEA is a Visix business
partner that offers a line of sophisticated software systems for meeting
and event management, academic scheduling, shared workspace management,
and online calendaring. Learn more about EMS scheduling solutions at
www.dea.com
